• Fabio Deivson Lopes Maciel breaks the competitive appearances record with 1,391 games.
• The Fluminense goalkeeper surpassed Peter Shilton's longstanding record during a Copa Sudamericana match.
• Fabio has spent his entire career in Brazil, playing for various clubs including Cruzeiro and Fluminense.
• He received a tribute at the Maracana Stadium following the historic match.

Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio Deivson Lopes Maciel has overtaken the previous record held by former England international Peter Shilton for the most competitive appearances in men's football, marking his 1,391st appearance during the team's 2-0 victory over America de Cali in the Copa Sudamericana. This achievement occurs at the iconic Maracana Stadium, where the 44-year-old celebrated his milestone with fans and received a commemorative plaque from the club according to BBC, Al Jazeera, and Reuters.

Throughout his 28-year career, Fabio has made his mark playing for several Brazilian clubs, including 976 appearances for Cruzeiro, 150 for Vasco da Gama, and 30 for Uniao Bandeirante, before joining Fluminense in 2022. His record-setting match marked his 235th appearance for Fluminense, where he has also won notable titles such as the Copa Libertadores, as per Al Jazeera and Reuters.

Fabio expressed his gratitude for achieving such a historical moment, emphasizing the emotional support of his family during the celebrations and stating, “It is a great satisfaction to achieve this record wearing the Fluminense jersey, which opened doors for me.” His achievements highlight his longevity in the sport and the dedication required to reach such heights, according to BBC and Reuters.

Despite the celebration, there remains a discrepancy regarding Shilton's official record. While figures differ, it is noted that Shilton claims a total of 1,387 appearances, although Guinness World Records states the figure at 1,390 when including unofficial games. This differs from Shilton’s perspective, who does not count certain matches as competitive, thereby indicating the challenges in validating such records in professional football, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.